Somaliland police detain a journalist covering forceful evictions in Lasanod, threatens others

On Saturday 2 September, Somaliland police officers detained Mowlid who reports for the Facebook news page Halbeeg Media and held at the Lasanod police station before he was freed later in
that day without charge. The journalist was taking photos as police
conducted forceful evictions of non-locals targeting ethnic southern
Somali persons living in Lasanod city. The operation saw hundreds
including women, children and elderly persons forcibly evicted from their homes and businesses in Lasanod, a city controlled by Somaliland and transferred to Puntland.

“The police beat, punched and kicked me. The confiscated my
equipment. I was held the Lasanod police station until 3.00pm in the
afternoon. There were others held in my cell which was very filthy,”
Mowlid said who confirmed that his equipment was returned upon his
release.

SJS and SOMA are concerned the ongoing harassment and threats against
local journalists in Lasanod by the police. Journalists told SJS and
SOMA that they received threats from Sool regional police commissioner
Col. Ahmed Abdillahi Abdi after covering police operation targeting ethnic southern Somali persons in Lasanod.

“We condemn the arbitrary detention of journalist Mowlid Ismail Diged
in Lasanod on Saturday. While Mowlid is now free, he and other
colleagues continue to face threats and intimidation by the police in
Lasanod,” Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the Secretary General of Somali
Journalists Syndicate (SJS) said. “Journalists have told us that they
cannot report the human rights violations committed by Somaliland police
officers in Lasanod including ethnic profiling and forceful evictions
of a large population from Lasanod because of their ethnicity. We call
Somaliland authorities and those in Lasanod to allow journalists carry
out their work independently, investigate those responsible for
arresting and threatening journalists and hold them accountable.”

“We strongly condemn the Somaliland police actions targeting
journalist Mowlid Ismail Diged and other colleagues who have been
threatened by the police. Human rights violations committed by
Somaliland police including arresting, beating and threatening
journalists should not go unpunished,” Mohamed Osman Makaran, the
Secretary General of Somali Media Association (SOMA) said. “Local media
in Lasanod and their journalists are vital voice for the defenceless
civilians whose rights are being violated. They should be also
protected.”